Adrian Paul, an orc from Weta, Stan Lee and Kevin Sorbo were some of the attractions at Salt Lake Comic Con 2013

JOss Whedon rules the Whedonverse at Salt lake Comic Con

Left to right: Jessica D, George, Brian Wiser, John Morehead

At the Salt Lake Comic Con 2013, fans crowded into the “Whedonverse: a Closer Look at the Worlds of Joss Whedon.” Superfan and author Jessica D. George, Serenity extra and Done the Impossible producer Brian Wiser, and co-editor of Joss Whedon and Religion John W. Morehead led a lively discussion about all things Whedon. “Joss is boss,” says Wiser. Because of the popularity of Avenger’s, “the fan base (for Whedon) has certainly increased, and that only helps all of us who want more Dollhouse and Firefly.” Whedon’s influence has transcended genres and injected itself into the culture. “Cabin in the Woods was a shot in the arm for the American Horror,” says Morehead. Wiser says that Buffy the Vampire slayer has become a cultural icon. Whedon created the archetype of the innocent blonde who can kick your butt. “Buffy certainly had a broader impact,” says Wiser, at least by awareness. “(Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog) showed us you could make really good projects without major money.” Wiser says that the studio control over Dollhouse gutted the property until Whedon was able to regain control of it after about the sixth episode. Alien 3 was for Whedon what Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was for Disney. When the studio took over the property, Whedon said that he would never give away his control again. According to Morehead, even though “Joss Whedon is a self-professed angry atheist,” he still explores issues in religion within his work. “Christian film critics are too quick to look for Christ figures” in pop culture, says Morehead. There are savior figures in Whedon’s work. However, “I couldn’t go as far as a Christ figure.”Other notes: New Serenity storylines appear in comic books. “Firefly is just so grounded in reality,” even if it does take place in space, says Wiser. According to Morehead, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho created a shift in the idea of monsters. In that film, the monster was us. Whedonisms: I’m a leaf on the wind.ShinyCurse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.She’s kind of a Buffy. “The opposite is Bella,” says George.